Namoki, Lawrence

Lawrence Namoki was born at the Keams Canyon Indian Health Services Hospital in August 1949. He was educated at various Indian boarding schools, finishing high school at the Phoenix Indian School. Then he enlisted in the Army where he served with the 82nd Airborne Division.

Once discharged and back at Hopi, Lawrence tried his hand at carving kachinas. He was very good at it but carving pottery intrigued him more. He’s said award-earning Santa Clara potter Nathan Youngblood has had the strongest influence on his work.

Lawrence applied himself and in 1985, he earned the Best of Show ribbon at the Eight Northern Pueblos Arts & Crafts Show. In 1997 he earned a First Place ribbon at the Santa Fe Indian Market. In 2013 he earned an Honorable Mention ribbon for a piece of non-traditional pottery at the Heard Museum Guild Indian Art Fair & Market.